Cane stripper and topper.



H. T. BEAUREGARD.

CANE STRIPPER AND TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5,1909.

INVENTUR ffenry ZBea uregazz? ATTORNEYS H. T. BEAUREGARDL CANE STRIPPERAND TOPPER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.5,1909.

990,215. Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

4 SHEETB--SHEET 2.

wmvsssm mvmron fiQrzzyZ'Beaureyazzi I M fl mom-"rs H. T. BEAUREGARD.

CANE STRIPPBR AND TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5,1EI09.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVE/VTUH fleazu'eyaz'cz By M a ATTORNEYS WITNESS S H. T. BE'AUREGARD.

CANE STRIPPER AND TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.5,1909.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 4.

I INVENTOH Jfe wry .ZTBeaureyzzzd By ATTORIVEK? WITNESSES Fi time sagasPATENT OFFICE, l

HENRY TOUTANT IBEAUREGARD, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BEAU'-EEGARD AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF LOUISIANA.

CANE STBIPPER AND TOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 25, 19] 1 Applicationfiled M83111! 5, 1909. Serial No. 481,312.

To all whom it may concern.

file it known that l, HENRY T. BEAVER- oaao, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans andState of Louisiana, have i11- vented a new and improved (lane'Struvperand Topper, of which the l'ollowing is a full, clear, and exactdeseriptimi.

This invention relates to a new and improved device for stripping theleaves from sugar-cane and removing the tops or top ping the same. Thisdevice is isclosed in this case as being connected with the mechanismfor delivering the cane thereto as it is directly cut from the plant inthe ground.

lfhigar-canc grows anywhere from six to twelve feel in height, and it isdesirable to.

chop the stalks otl' near the ground and then lent the top of each caneat about the same dis tance from the tip, leaving as little as possibleoi the stalk proper with the eut-oll' top. This is readily done when thestalks are out by hand, but previous to this time, as far as I amawarcpno device has been made for performing this operationmechanically. Sonic n'uurhines are made to strike an average and cut thetops off at a mean height, cutting some of the canes with a large partoi? the stalk with the top and missing the tops of some of the shortercanes altogether.

An object oi. this invention is to provide n. machine which will out thetops oil the sugar cane or any other product, 'at substantially the samedistance from the tip thcrc of, irrespective of the length oi the stalk.In accomplishing this object, the stalk is first out from the groiimd bymeans of a stalk chopper supported by an adjustable frame carried on :1ca rriage, which is drawn by horses or thelike. The cut stalks areconveyed to the carriage proper \vhere they fall over onto a fmwardlyand llp\\'t-ll'tllyinclined guiding conveyor, which supports the stalksaway from a :fm-wardly and upwardly inclined top cutter. hero taken ofthe tendency of the stalk to sag under its weight. when the top ol. thestalk 'which'rests agaii'ist the guiding ronveyer is not stout enough tosu 'iport the weight. The stalke arev moved along by the,upwardly-inclined conveyor, until said stalks come to a point where thebeipglit of the re ting wist ot the conveyor will reach a section in thestalk Weak enough to per- Ad vant age IS.

.the carriage 1.

mit it to sag against a reciprocating blade m the top cutter, and, asthe stalks are smallest and weakest near-the top, they willbe cut. oilsubstantially at the same distance from the tip. This and furtherobjects will be more fully described hereinafter and par-i ticularlypointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the aceornpany-. mg drawings forming a part ofthis spee fi cation, in which similar characters of refer once indicatecorresponding parts in all the.

views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the cane harvester; Fig.2 is an end elevation, looking at the harvester t'rom the front; andshowing the guid e to the stalk chopper broken away; liigL 3 is avertical longitudinal section on,

line 3-3 ol. Fig. 2.

mechanism of the stripper and conveyor; Fig. 5 is an enlarged View 01'the top cutter,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in elevation, of the dr ving.

showing the relation of the cutting knife to same; and Fig. (i is a planview 01' the same.

llel'errn'w' more )articularl to the so )arate parts of the device, 1indicates the main movcment of the pole will turn the wheels and steerthe carriage.

ltotatably supported on the carriage 1 in any suitable manner is a crossshaft v10, which pivulally supports the stalk chopper frame 11. theframe 11 above the ground is adjusted means of a curved rack 12 on thebottom tluu-eot'. This rack, together with the frame ll, moved up anddown by means of a pinion which is supported on and rotated bya shal't15!, which in turn has supl'itll'llltfl bearings 15 in a l'rame 10carried by This shall; H- has a bevel gear ,l7 on the end thereof,'which meshes with a bevel pinion 18 on a shaft. 19, supported in anysuitable manner by the carriage 1. On the other end of theshal't 19' isa bevel gear 20, which is engaged by a The height of the "front end ofon the These wheels are con- .95 J in any suitable manner, butpreferably by.

the cutter ha and operating means for the 10b l I thegem.

der 0)? the distanmnn the shafts 558 These shafts 56 hung at .i'n'te'z'to 09. z'atated b Qspfobke bevel pinion 21 on a wfiiicai 511%? l0 andthe heigl'lt 0f the forwazfi end vi h frame udgustad up and dawn.

u .I V, i slimmed. at the ion and end f the flame are guides which arepreferably flared. outwardly-and curved downwm'dlyv hese guides aresuitably braced by means 21 the rods These guidas 24; gdzmsnd to guidethe cane stalks to the staik (5}10}),. r 26, which may he of anysuitable icnm are preferably a pail. of rotatable disk Zani suppm'ted onshafts 27 carried. in any 5 abie manne; in bearingggs L; end of theframe 11.

Extending from the chap (arriage l and sumg-orted manner by the '1 amei1 is :1 1.

per 1'30 the carving-5e, 'lhe or aprml 30 of this trough 535 stablydirzctly above ill-a: from W1 1 it slaps digimxcc shafts 33 and Q4. andne a ma sprocket Wheels rear of the inn; J ported, in any suit hafts 39and 4 0. i spmcket Wheel LU. 31388 311,

shaft 4:0 has both a lower and an upper sprocket Fastcned "c0 ti ablemanner by a bz ach 4-5 (m which a sprmzlret t0 rmfats These sprncmeet-ed in pairs by endie &7, 9, 4&9 and ML The -18 and 49 extend the whframe 11 and coast by meal- 5 exfienfiing fiH 'QZS. thereon H1 t 30:imfi in) h 29 to uonvey 1h they are chopped off, fix; n L: the carriagel, The con hat W 51am son Veyays 'el g'th Qf the '1 00mer, and m elynsslh ihe stalks for artpoliecl m; intervals in. $11

(JUN

sgrock use connect 2 103 as t 1th a z-Li't 9'? is annthei? ms wiflya09% 1. shaft 40, which 4K5 1 5 59,- Still aft 93'' is still unather and.which on the vei'i i 50' strength of the stalks. I

reach soonesta point on the supporting gear 105 on a stub shaft 100.This shaft 106 has fixed thereon a gear 107, which meshes with a pinion108 on a shaft 109. This shaft 10!) has on the end thereof a sprocketgear 110, which drives a chain 112, which in turn drives the sprocketchains 57' and tlll'Ollgl'l them the stripper shafts.55. The rotatablestalk choppers 26 are driven by the conveyer chains 47, 48 and 49. Theconveyer shafts 33 and 34, although in line with the chopper bladeshafts 27, are not the same shafts. but are broken in the bear- ,ings,so that they revolve independently.

' "()n the shafts 33 and 34. are gearslltl, which mesh with pinions 114on shafts 115, which have gears 110 on their opposite endsmeshing'with.pinions I]? on the chopper shafts 27. Thus the chopperknives 26 aredriven at a greatly increased speed.

In the operatlon of the device, the car-' riage 1 is drawn alongside therow of-sugarcane to be cut, by males or horses attached to the pole ofthe carriage. The stalk choppor' frame 11 is adjusted at the heightabove the ground 'at which it is desired to cut the cane; the guides 24direct the stalks into the path of the chopper knives 26, which arerotating at a high rate of speed. These knives out the stalks near theground, which at) stalks are immediately seized by the convyer fingersa1 and slid up the incline on the apron 30, .the stalks still remainingsub .stantially vertical. lVhen the stalks have Y'reached the end of theshort conveyer 50,

they are then exposed to the beating action of the revolvin chains 56 onthe stripper 52. These chams 5 6 tear or strip oil" the lower leavesfrom the stalks. \Vhile being stripped, the stalks are being conveyedstill 40 farther until they pass the stripper, when they are deflectedby means of'thc boot 07 into the path of the fingers on the conveyers55) and 62, which tend to throw the tops outwardly onto the guide orsupporting conve 'er t38.- This supporting conveyor 08 iuclihes u wardlyand outwardly, and is substantial y parallel to the top cutter "2'4.from the knives of which it: supports the stalk'for periods varyingaccording to the height and The shortest stalks guide conveyer 08, wheretheir lack of stiltness near the top causes them to bend or sag -.intothe path of the knives 76 on the top cutter. Gradually as the stalks areconveyed to the higher portions of the guide conveyor 68 and, the topcutter 74, the taller stalks reach a point where they saginto the pathof the knives 76. The cane stalks 6 proper and the tops fall over theside of the wagon and to the ground. A conveyor, however, may beprovided for catching the cane'and delivering it to a.suitable wagon orreceptacle.

Having thus described my invention, what he the-two conveying chains.

2. In a devicc'of the class described, the combination with a supportingframe, of a stationary cutter-bar on said frame, and a longitudinallymovable entail-connected to said cutter-bar and adapted to automaticallycut off the tops of stalks of varying lengths v stalks.

combination with a frame, of a stationary cutter-bar connected to saidframe, and a lohgitudinally movablecutter" connected to saidcutter-barand adapted to automatically cut stalks at varying distancesfrom their butts, dependent on the length of the stalk.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with. asupporting frame, of cutting mechanism definitely located with respectto said frame and having movable to cut 0d the tops of stalks vofvarying lengths at varying distances from their butts, dependent on thelength of said stalks. 5. In a device of the class described, thecombination with a supporting frame, of a top cutter adapted to cut thetops from stalks, comprising a cutter-bar inclined away from said mineand a' knife sliding in the same, and a guide inclined away from saidframe and located in cotiperative relation with said cutter and adaptedto hold said stalks away from said top cutter.

(3. In a device of the class described, the combination with asupporting frame, of an upwardly and outwardly inclined top cutteradapted to cut the tops from stalks, and

located in cotipcrative relation with said cutter and adapted to supportsaid stalks away from said cutter.

'7. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with a frame, ofa top cutter inclined away from said frame, and a stalk guide inclinedaway from said frame and supported by said frame above sald top cutter.

8. In a device of the class described, the (annbination with a frame, ofan obliquely arranged top cutter on said frame, and an obliquelyinclined stalk guide supported. by said frame above said top cutter.

t). In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofa top cutter and desire to se'cure by Letat equal distances from thetipsof'said 3. In a device of the class described, the

)arts said cuttin mechanism bein ada tedl 7 e P an upwardly andoutwardly inclined guide on said frame disposed in angular relation withrespect to said frame, and a stall guide supported by said frame abovesaid top cutter and arranged in angular relation with respect to saidframe,

10. In a device of the class described,the combination with a frame, ofa top cutter supported by said frame, a guide located in cooperativerelation with said cutter, driv ing mechanism on said frame, means between said driving mechanism and said top cutter adapted to drive saidtop cutter, and means between said motor and said guide adapted to drivesaid guide.

11. in a device of the-class described, the combination with a frame, ofa top cutter, comprising a cuttenbar and a. knife having a slot therein,driving mechanism on said frame, a crank operating in said slottoreciprocate said cutter-bar, a universal connection between said drivingmechanism and said crank, a guide conveyer located in coo iwerativerelation with said cutter, a shaft adapted to drive saidconveyer, and auniversal drive between said driving mechanisin and said shaft.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with frame, anapron on. said frame, a conveyor Jo-acting with said apron, a stripperon said frame top cutter counected to said stripper, and an endlessconveyer intermediate said stripper and said top cutter, for conveyinstalks from said stripper to said top cutter.

13. in a device of the clas described, the combination with a frame, orstripper on I said frame, means for conveying stalks to said stripper,an automatic top cutter on said frame, and an "endless conveyerintermediate said stripper and said. top cutter, for conveying stalksfrom said stripper-tn said top cutter.

1.41. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a top cutter connected to said frame, .a leaf stripper connected tosaid frame, comprising a frame, a plurality of superposed rotatableshafts on said last-mentioned frame, and stripping chains connected toeach of said shafts in spaced relation..

15. In a device of the class described, the combination with a topcutter, of a leaf stripper connected to said top cutter, com prising aframe, a piurality of superposed rotatable shafts connected to said.frame, and a plurality of stripping chains secured to each of saidshafts in spaced relation, the chains on each shaft being staggered withrelation to the chains on the juxtaposed shafi. v

16. In a device or the class described, the combii'iation with a frame,of an obliquely an ranged top cutter connected to said frame, and anobliquely arranged stalk guide extending in juxtaposition to said topcutter.

name to this s; eciiication in presence of two subscribing Witnesses,

W1 Messes: "iVnmaM Donaneson, Hmnnr L. E sner;

.65 in testimony whereof I have signed my

